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December 1, 2021 2:00 am
Good game strategy is knowing your opposition. In the message "The Game You Must Win!" Nate examines our opponent to help you fend off Satan's attacks and engage in the fight against him successfully.
This teaching is from the series Now Streaming.
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Each and every one of us is in the spiritual game of chess. In this Christian walk is not Lord to is a matter of fact our eternal lives in the balance and outcome of this game. This is game you must win because of this danger uploaded adversary is the devil said that the Christian life is a battleground in the past to know how to engage your adversary sale and connect with skip's soon they share so you can wage war successfully against the enemy, his skin first Bible study trip to Israel is like change Bible study will never be the same Skip has lived and led tours. Many many times used to invite you one is next to her.
You know there's always something new to see and experience in Israel and I'm so excited to let you know that I'm taking another tour group to Israel next spring.
In 2020 urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country will start on the Mediterranean Sea head North seen places like Caesarea and Nazareth Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem Temple Mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and amount of all and much more. This remarkable itinerary is richer with times of worship, Bible study and fellowship.
Now I've been Israel and number of times over the years that I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded were Jesus lived taught and healed. It just never gets old. I can't wait to see you start planning and saving out Israel with skip-information, inspiration, cruises.com/C that's inspiration cruises.com/C a B. Now let's dive into the teaching from first Peter chapter 58-I remember my son first started playing baseball. How excited I was to watch his first baseball game, even more so how excited I was intelligent and I had for him to win his first baseball game examined how important it was to be a river. When I won my first game how meaningful that was to win it. Something to succeed at something the confidence that inspired Rubino's first game short the field and looking around for the scoreboard to tell who won the game to tell me points were on the board and I couldn't find one so I asked the coaches that a coach wears the scoreboard he said well honestly we don't keep score.
As a matter fact, we not only don't keep so we don't even record the number of hours because we want each kid to get an opportunity to get on base want each kid to get the opportunity to succeed. We just let a certain number of plays run and we call the ending and that moment in my head. I said you don't keep score, but I do there might not be a scoreboard here, but I'm here and all that all these kids know who's winning and who's losing at this game now. I didn't do that. I was that dad yelling out of the get out but I did after the game. When my son got in the car I said hey congratulations Seth you when your first game to which he replied that we don't keep score and I said your coach might not, but I do and after every single game. If you want to know who lost you can come this car and asked me I'll tell you what or who lost all tell you how many how many points you scored all tell you how many outs you got. If you don't ask. I won't tell you but if you want to know.
Ask me and I'll let you know I don't care whether you win or lose all way to do is try hard, but you have to know what you're trying for.
If you don't know what you're trying for.
You can never succeed. Now of course our desire to succeed should never cause us to be a bad sport and of course we all know there's some games that you truly just play for fun, but we also know there's some games that you must win or at least you must try to win the Super Bowl is a game you must win. I guarantee every player on that field feels like they have to win that game. The Olympics are games you must win the World Series are games you must win the NBA finals are games you must win. Can you imagine how boring everyone of those games would be if nobody cared about winning. Could you imagine watching the NBA finals of Chris Paul's is rented to each rep and gave them a hug and all the players and every now they just posit I wasn't hey guys, go no, this is just for fun, so everyone take it easy, but just have a good time.
Could you imagine how boring those games would be if it wasn't healthy competition and the series now streaming we been looking at popular TV shows to see if there's any spiritual truth that we as Christians can glean from them in their themes in this week were looking at the Queens gambit, which if you've never heard of that are seen in episode is all about chest and that sounds pretty unexciting but I believe that chess is an incredibly exciting game. Chess is a fascinating game because each and every move from the very beginning until the very last move is so important is matter fact I don't know that there's another game, where each move has as much importance and weight as chess, the very first opening move all the way till the very last move. Each one of them have names and strategy and goals behind moves to gamer each move as a benefit or a consequence, in a move that you made in the very beginning of the game can actually determine the outcome. At the very end, and this weekend working to tie some spiritual correlations to this each and every one of us is engaged in a spiritual game of chess and this game Christian that you are locked in is a game that you cannot afford to lose. As a matter of fact our eternal lives hang in the balance and the outcome of this game. This is the game you must win because in this game your opponent. Your adversary is the devil. Let's look at our text first Peter 58 through 10 as we learn about the game, you must win. Verse eight says be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world but may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. After you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. The first point the wording to see here in this game that you must win is that you need to know your adversary. Now anyone at the top of their field knows that if you want to be successful. If you want to win. If you want to succeed the first thing you have to do is learn about your opponent all the great coaches know this, all the great athletes know this. You have to learn about your opponent is matter fact, many teams and coaches if their good will put far more time into the preparation for the game than they will in the game itself.
You watch there tapes you learn their moves you study their weaknesses you want to know as much as you can about them when you get on the field of play. There's nothing they can throw at you that you're not prepared for.
Often times, the game is won or lost before the actual game ever begins.
One of the greatest coaches in history Bob Knight said this wiki is not the will to win. Everybody has that is the will to prepare to win that is so important.
There's some incredible spiritual truths within this is not the will to win. Everybody has the will to win. Look, it's not the will to resist the devil. Every Christian has the will to resist the devil is not the will to withstand temptation. No Christian wants to fall into temptation is not the will to win the will to prepare to win that is important.
Verse eight tells us exactly who your opponent is and it tells us to be ready to prepare. Look at verse eight Peter says be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary is the devil your adversary the devil, the NLT puts it this way. Stay alert sailor be ready, prepare yourselves, watch out for your great enemy the devil so we need to understand who our opponent. The devil is who is our adversary.
What makes them tick. What is his goal now. First of all we have to point out that God didn't really create the devil as we know him today.
In fact, in the beginning. Not only was Lucifer, a high-ranking angel, but he was also one of exquisite beauty and of incredible wisdom. He seemed to be in a position of great power and influence.
According to what Ezekiel 28 tells us Ezekiel 28 call Satan a guardian cherub know you don't realize this. Or maybe you did but in the angelic realm. There are different ranks of angels, like in an army there's different ranks of angels are different branches of angels soldiers. That's what is happening in this angelic realm and Jeroboam in the angelic Army in the ranking of angels are depicted in Scripture as powerful and majestic angelic creatures who surround God's throne based around guardian's protectors of the throne. And they spend most of their days worshiping God leading the angelic hosts in praise of God. Interestingly, God sent Jeroboam what what Satan was.
Lucifer was to guard eat and after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. Genesis 324 says after he drove the man out. He placed on the east side of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. So Satan is a high-ranking angel. He was a high-ranking angel. He was a cherub the guardian cherub is also referred to in Ezekiel 28 is the model of perfection.
He was beautiful to behold. He was spectacular to behold.
So what happened, what was Satan's specific sin or sins. Ezekiel 28, 15 and 17 tells us would lead to Satan's fall is says you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity was found in you. Your heart was lifted up pride. It was puffed up because of your beauty.
Satan being this guardian cherub. This model of perfection. This high-ranking angel at some point in this process deemed that the worship he was giving to God was worshiped that he himself deserved because of his beauty because of his rank because of his role. Perhaps he felt like you know what God sure will worship you, but I'm a pretty high-ranking angel that you have some of the lower ranking angels worship me as well, because I'm pretty awesome I'm pretty good I think I deserve some honor. I think I deserve some clout and some recognition.
How quickly do we fall into the same trap Christian we think. After a little while well you know what I'm pretty great and I know I'm a pretty awesome person.
I deserve some of the recognition and clout. You know what I've been missing out on that with those other people get I can do better than them. I deserve some of that praise.
I deserve some of that Lori, his heart was lifted up because of his incredible beauty. Lucifer allowed his perfection to be the cause of his corruption. He allowed his perfection, his status to be the cause of his corruption.
It created iniquity in his heart as his pride lifted up. It corrupted him. Lucifer wasn't satisfied any longer with worshiping God. He wanted to be worshiped and God's judgment came on him. As a result of this corruption of his heart and soul. Lucifer once a beautiful powerful angel of God lost his former exalted position in heaven. Jesus said, I beheld Satan fall from heaven like lightning Lucifer became Satan when he fell to earth, Lucifer, the name means Star of the morning. That which he once was.
Satan means accuser. That is who he is now. Now Satan as we know him is a fallen but very powerful spiritual being with a very well organized network of demonic powers helping him accomplish his purpose. And what is Satan's purpose well the words of Jesus in John 1010 tells us exactly what Satan's purpose is, and that is to steal to kill and to destroy master question. If Satan's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. Who does he want to steal from. Who does he want to kill and who does he want to destroy you. The answer is you every second of every day 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The only thing that Satan is pursuing and trying to do is to steal from you to kill you, and to destroy you. He wants to steal your marriage. He wants to steal your children.
He wants to steal your sobriety. He wants to steal your joy he wants to steal your future.
He wants to destroy the plans that God has for your life. You want to destroy what God is doing in your life. He wants to kill you and mango use at the end of your life. You look so far from the picture that God had planned for you is unrecognizable. He wants to kill you destroy you and steal from you.
Verse eight continues for us and it adds on to that plan that Satan has for us, says the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour you wants to steal, kill, destroy, like a lion he wants to devour you now.
I don't know about you but when I hear about a lion going to and fro my mind immediately goes to National Geographic and would love watching no-shows about predator versus pray I can't get enough of the weathered shark week or liens in the wilderness or crocodiles. I love watching these predators stalk their prey. I don't know that speak something about me but I love watching the whole process I think is so fascinating and I love those shows because there's always that deep Australian accent and you'll have these zebras hanging out in the field. This line will be in the tall grass in the skeletal zebra has no idea the audience talking is in the tall grass sounds like a golf game like on one of those commentators like you're waiting for a pot to be made but is actually a broken neck on a zebra sleeper account see that the loins couldn't close that boom and then all of a sudden the lion attacks. I was watching the show with my daughter one day and she was a young kid at the time she loves animals she must be a veterinarian. She's washing the site and look at zebra there's a lion and then the lion jumps out and gets zebra my daughter says look at zebra the land there playing together as a cadence. I think zebras losing.
I don't think the zebra understands the rules of the game. As a matter fact I think the zebra would prefer to not play this game with the lion. I was at the zoo with my son and in we have an incredible zoo in Albuquerque, don't we, as one of the best news I think in the country and it's such a great value. We were there and I was love my favorite big cat exhibit C is the mountain lions because you get so much closer to them than the other animals we hear about mount lines. We think all they're just smaller version of liens and they're not that scary until you get close to those suckers, you realize how big they are and how mean they are because claws are and you realize I'm never to go hiking along lose ever again want to see one of those big liens and they say well if you see windows open up your coat and I'm like wise, I can show him where the despot is here right here, right there there looking at the liens and liens do this this incredible thing that I call lion pace and it's one of the most terrifying things ever because they locked eyes with something I move back and forth will never breaking eye contact with Antonio because I know one defendant. If I do this little do the thing that is looking for students and every now and then to just throw this in, is lick their lips where the zoo in this lion is doing this to my son.
My son ever so Stu says – I think he's hungry. I was like yeah sense for you. He wants to eat you. He's hungry. He's proudly he's going to an fro seeking whom he may devour Christian Satan got his eyes locked on you. Satan is doing the lion pace back and forth looking at you, licking his lips because he's hungry because he wants to destroy you because he wants to eat you like that cute little zebra National Geographic with the Australian commentator. He wants to jump out of those tall weeds wants to snap your neck.
And he wants to eat you up.
You wants to steal from you. He wants to kill you and he wants to destroy you.
How does he do this to accomplish his goal. Satan uses his two closest allies. That is the world and the flesh world is the world system which is hostile to God that is living for our own personal gratification. Your will. Above everything else this world system that is hostile towards God. First John 519 says we know that we are of God, and the whole world.
How much of the world the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
Ephesians 22 says he Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the world is the first tool that Satan uses to steal, kill and destroy a believer's life. The flesh is the second.
The flesh is the powerful sinful nature that lives inside each and every one of us from the moment were born that longs to be gratified.
Satisfied to have our sensual appetites fulfilled first John 216 speaking of the flesh says all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world in the same way all the temptation that we face falls into these three categories. And this is the flesh number one the eyes, the lust of the eyes.
Some people fall in their personal lives and lose this battle with Satan in the fantasy life in the thought life in the things they see with the pornography addiction with agreed it in their hearts with selfishness in their eyes.
They see what other people have is that I want that I want that whole. I want that car.
I want that family. I want that spouse, I want those things. Instagram is a huge contributing factor to the lust of the eyes in our generation people seeing what other people haven't been unsatisfied with what God has given them the next is the lust of the flesh.
This is the simple gratification of whatever desire hits you in that moment, which by the way, the lust of the eyes usually turns into action very seldomly. Does it stop at the eyes. Eventually we have Satan big enough of a foothold in our thought life in her eyes. It will lead to the lust of the flesh and the actions that we portray food, sleep, sex, pleasure, accumulations, possessions. This is the natural man in all his glory. I want what I want when I want it, to take it for myself. The last is the pride of life. For some this is where Satan gets his foothold in their lives in this clever strategy could be through the pursuit of knowledge may be a high degree maybe the reason behind you wanted a high degree is to be better than other people or to puff yourself up feel that your important, perhaps morality, bettering oneself on a very righteous person.
I'm a very holy person because of the good things I do. Even the pride of being religious can keep you from Christ as it did the Pharisees will I go to church not only go to church I go to a Bible teaching church not only to go to Bible teaching church I served sometimes and I and I try every now and then when I feel like it. These are the pride of life. So number one we need to know your adversary number two we do recognize that to win the game, you lose some ponds. Look at verse nine with me.
Peter continues and he says, resist him, steadfast in the faith. This is play your game. Keep pursuing keep trying keep moving. Play your game, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in all the world Christian to win this game with Satan.
You're gonna lose some ponds in any game including the game of chess.
Not only must you know your opponent and the moves they have, but you also have to accept that there's got to be times in the game where you might be down there to be moments in the battle when you might fail to be moments when you lose a matchup or two. There's got to be moments when you're not in the lead but you're fighting for the leaders in any moments when it looks like you might lose an Christian.
There's got to be moments in this life. When you will suffer steadfast, stand firm, knowing that the suffering Juergen experience isn't isolated to you. It is experienced by every other believer in the world experienced in message from the series now screen want to share a special resource group closer to the Lord stay plugged into his work.
19 pandemic is constant reevaluation of priorities like choices and the path forward this question to my life here Skip take on priorities. Don't we all want the life with a happy ending life marked by growth life marked by productivity and refreshment and God's touch of blessing and prosperity and maturity. Here is our special offer for this month. For those who support basic messages on significant 2022 and they're both thinking you $30 today help more people connect to the contrary, any country to go on line to connect sample from skin you pursue him.
When you pursue holiness, happiness tags along call 800 to 18 to give or visit connectwithskip.com to noon tomorrow is height six years while your ultimate victory over your enemy is locked to Satan. When you're down. Satan wants you to say. You look once you told us our daily making a conscious effort God has called us to do to be steadfast.
The stand for knowing that the suffering we experience.
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